Meet an ODOT snow plow driver

2 years ago

(Cleveland) Driving a snow plow for a living isn't an easy job especially when drivers of other vehicles don't understand that the plows are only allowed to travel at 35 to 40 miles per hour. Melvin Safford has worked with ODOT for 7 years and says sometimes his biggest obstacle is switching lanes. "When the traffic picks up it's a little annoying maybe, because everybody wants to not let you change lanes when you need to change lanes", Says Safford.

Safford has driven a plow for seven years and works from 10am until 10:30pm clearing 271 North at Cedar Brainard to Rockside Road. Safford says he spends his shift driving and clearing that route continuously. The plows are heavy, but freezing rain can cause them to fishtail which is another reason other vehicles shouldn't crowd them.

Safford says he only remembers one winter storm that was worse than this week's massive snowfall. It occured his first day on the job. "That was probably my worst because it was my first time driving and plowing in the snow." He says if this January's snowfall so far is any indication, he'll be getting a lot of overtime this year.

Safford does have a tip for drivers to remain safe on icy roads, "drive slow, if driver's took their time we'd have much fewer accidents".